Saturday, May 12, 2007

541 stitches later . . .


WOW! I'm so amazed by all the shawls that are done! They are gorgeous and I'm totally intimidated. I've just started mine. I'm making the Pacific Waves Shawl in the Sonata Print Rose Garden. I love the color and am excited to see how it turns out. However since it requires casting on 541 stitches that in itself is a herculean accomplishment! Also it only reduces the equivalent of 1 stitch per row and there are a total of about 60 rows so basically you are knitting on somewhere around 500 stitches per row for THE ENTIRE SHAWL! It takes me quite awhile to knit each row. So far I've finished 8 rows. I noticed a problem in the instructions for Row 5 - after you knit the center stitch it doesn't tell you what to do until you get to the part where you are supposed to start the 14 waves again. Also oddly enough I noticed on the Elann site that the instructions for the solid Pacific Waves Shawl are actually different than those that are found in the Rose Garden one. Very strange! Is anyone else making this shawl?


7 comments:

Billie said...

Allison...SOOOO good to see your post! I don't know of anyone else who photographs yarn the way you do! (Everyone, go to Allison's blog...this is eye-candy for every knitter/gardener out there!) Very, very nice. Your progress on the Pacific Waves shawl will be a pleasure to watch!

kellygirl said...

I peeked at your blog too--what a visual treat! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your shawl. That colorway is gorgeous.

Sarebear said...

I am, in the Incan Clay colourway! I have 180 stitches cast on, and need to buy a longer circular needles, 32" isn't long enough (I didn't think it would be, but it was the longest I could find locally). So I'm ordering a 47 or 60 incher, if I can find one.

So what do you do after the error or left out info on row 5, if I may ask?

smariek said...

WOW! You really know how to take photos! 541 stitches is quite a doozy.

benne said...

That is going to be so beautiful! The caston is a real attention-grabber, isn't it? Love the flowers with the colors in your yarn.

Sarebear said...

What needle are you using?

Allison said...

Thanks everyone for all the kind words! As to the questions - the needles are Knit Picks Options in size 9. The pattern calls for 8's but I usually go up one size. I used the longest cord I have from them - I think it's a 47" one. It's fairly bunched up on the cord but it's long enough. For the mistake in row 5 of the pattern I just sort of tried to figure out the mirror of what I did leading up to the middle stitch but later (after I was several rows further of course) I saw that in the blue version pattern there are instructions so if doing it again I'd probably check that out.